There are currently many varieties of turbo chargers and superchargers and various ways to turbo or supercharge engines. However, many of these systems and methods require rather extensive modification of the existing engine and often can not be done by relatively modestly experienced mechanics. Another problem with existing systems is that they may not even fit or be usable with certain types of designs and engines, such as, for example, the engines of relatively small sports cars having small engine compartments.
In response to past gasoline crises, engines were made smaller to improve gas mileage. Various other fuel saving modifications have been made to engines to improve gas mileage as well, but result in the engine having decreased power. The turbo-supercharger or turbocharger is a popular option for boosting engine power. However, because turbo chargers are exhaust driven, they tend to raise the temperature in the engine, thereby requiring additional cooling or protective materials, and they also therefore have a characteristic time delay in achieving the boosted power. Mechanically driven superchargers linked directly to the engine eliminate many of the problems associated with turbo chargers. However, there are different problems with superchargers located in the engine compartment, such as, susceptibility to wear, expense of installation, difficulty adapting to various types of engines and also problems of physically locating the components because of limited space in the engine compartment, especially with smaller cars and smaller engines.
Some previously developed systems are discussed below and are illustrative of the state of this particular art. Various problems regarding size, adaptability to different engines, and ease of installation have been addressed in part by some of these systems.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,463 patent to Perry discloses a compact motorcycle supercharging apparatus. The main objective of this invention is to provide a compact motorcycle-installable supercharger that can be placed in several different positions or orientations on the motorcycle, as desired. The invention also provides protective cover plates to protect the rider's legs from the supercharger and its drive mechanism.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,459 patent to Middlebrook is directed to a supercharger for internal combustion engines, specifically a centrifugal supercharger. The supercharger housing is adaptable to be installable with a number of different types of engine. This patent states that the invention is more efficient, reliable, and adaptable to be installed on various engines than previous superchargers. Whenever the engine is in operation, the air in this system passes through the supercharger without being able to be fed directly to the engine.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,023 patent to Hanson discloses an evaporative emission control system for a supercharged internal combustion engine. The emission control system operates as does a conventional emission control system when the engine is not running in a supercharged mode. When the engine is supercharged, the emission control system diverts some high pressure vapors from the combustion chamber to mix with incoming air in the supercharger to reduce unburned material and emissions.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,816 patent to Scicluna discloses an internal combustion engine turbo charger particularly for motorcycles such that it can be readily installed without having to perform any substantial alteration to the standard factory production state of the vehicle. There is a "dump valve" for release of air if the pressure in a conduit which connects an air compressor outlet to the carburetor inlet is too great.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,060 patent to Goodman discloses a fluid injection system for a supercharged internal combustion engine. In this patent, the engine is already supercharged, and the patented invention provides a better way to introduce a cooling fluid, such as water, into the air intake side of a supercharged engine to obtain precise metering of the injected fluid. The injection system of this patent is easy to install on supercharged engines and is suited to aftermarket installation.
Some prior systems also do not provide direct, or "straight line" flow of air-fuel mixture from the carburetor or fuel injection system to the supercharger. These systems require additional piping or hoses and create turbulence in the air-fuel flow, and the flow turbulence reduces efficiency reduces power.
None of the systems discussed above completely solves the problems of providing a relatively easily installable supercharger, for in-line engines, that is directly attachable to the existing engine without significant modification to the engine, and which would be relatively easily adaptable to various types of engines, and which also would not over stress the stock, unmodified engine, for example with too much increase in compression. Thus there is a need to have a "bolt-on" supercharger system which can be attached to an existing engine without significant effort, or modification to the existing engine and which would solve the problems of adaptability and size requirements or restrictions. It would also be desirable to have a supercharger system which would provide a relief valve system for safety if the pressure in the supercharger system were to become excessive. In addition it would be desirable for a supercharger system to direct air and fuel mixture directly into the engine, not through the supercharger system, when the vehicle is not under boost, but to direct the air and fuel mixture through the supercharger system when the engine is under boost.